jeffv145

Today I decided that I'm going to get a nitro RC car, but I don't know what I want. I absolutely love the videos of the Traxxas Nitro Slash 2WD, but I would like the gasoline equivalent (because I want to work on little motors and don't want to recharge) Does anyone have some good starter info for me? Any good gas powered alternatives to the Traxxas Nitro Slash? Thanks!

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Here ya go... The Losi XXL.2 gasoline-powered, in a nitro-sized motor...
http://www.rccaraction-digital.com/r...ember_2014#pg1

SyCo_VeNoM

do you want a gas powered RC, or nitro as they are 2 completely different things? Your post states nitro then says gas so I'm a tad confused.

jeffv145

Yeah that's because I didn't know the terminology, so nitro is electric? I just started learning about this today and need to start from square one.. !! =)

Large Larry

Nitro is the name of the fuel that nitros run on, gas refers to a typical 2 stroke engine and electric means no engine at all, it runs on an electric motor.

In a nut shell gas cars a typically bigger and slower than nitros but lately there have been a few smaller gas cars hitting the market which seem to have decent performance. The downside to nitro is the fuel can be expensive and there is some tuning required so there is a bit learn, but it's not hard to get your head around it if you apply yourself.

There's plenty of options out there and you will get a lot of different opinions on what is the best from different people. The easiest way to help you decide would be to narrow it down to either gas or nitro and telling us what kind of stuff you want to do ie. bashing in the dirt or on the street

phmaximus

^I agree, we'll said.

only thing I can add yes nitro tuning, maintance and diagnosis is a learning curve and can be easy if u apply yourself.
But.... Generally the majority of people have difficulties, and these difficulties can be very expensive. If u have no mechanical experience I would NOT recommend a nitro. I would only recommend it if u have mechanical experience or u have someone to teach u.

time and time again, I've seen people literally run there brand new nitro engines into the ground.... Sometimes within weeks.

so if u are interested in nitro u need to really apply yourself, and to be successfull u need to know how to tune, maintaine, and diagnose before u even start it.... And having experience with a product with out touching it is extremely difficult. So my recommendations are... Read as much as u can and watch as many videos u can.

nitrosportsandrunner

Nitro:
expensive fuel, $30-$40 per gallon
runtimes of 15 minutes or so on a tank
models have "AA" or a rechargeable battery pack for the radio receiver (so at some point you still have to change or recharge a battery)
Can be hard for some people to tune. some find it easy, some find it impossible. It really depends on you attention to detail and your patieince level.
cheap models start at $200. best to buy ones that start around $300. Quality matters for these little motors.
RTR models can do between 35-65mph.

Gas:
Much larger, 2 stroke motors that burn a mix of regular gas and 2 stroke oil. very similar to a weed wacker or chain saw motor.
More expensive to buy, cheapest start at $500...all the way up to $1800
A gallon of gas costs $4
A tank runs for 30-45 minutes!
Still has a rechargeable battery for the radio.
Parts like tires and body can be expensive to replace!
RTR models can do between 30-45mph

Electric...2 types, brushed and brushless.
Focus on brushless! Faster motors, longer lasting, more power.
Start at $200 Good RTR models start around $300-$350.
RTR speeds between 35 and 100mph (no joke)
With a lipo battery some models can get 30 minute runtimes per charge!

OH, RTR means "ready to run". Usually means it comes assembled with all electronics. May or may not include a battery and charger.

RTR nitro models still require fuel. May also require a glow plug warmer, fuel bottle, and basic tools as well as air filter oil.

RTR gas just needs gasoline and 2 stroke oil.

Hope that helps some.

jeffv145

These answers have all been very helpful. I have a bit of small engines experience, but I'm starting to think I'd like a brushless electric instead. I would like to drive in mud/dirt/offroad. I'm looking at the Traxxas slash pretty seriously, but still have a few questions, here's my question list:

* Can brushed vehicles be converted to brushless/ is it a difficult or expensive conversion?
* Can brushless motors be geared down for lower speeds?
* How do four wheel drive cars perform compared to two wheel drive?
* How does the scale effect the vehicle performance (1/10 1/16 etc)
* Should I get a spare battery separate from the included stock battery, and if so what should I get?

Thanks for your help, and sorry for the noobish questions..!!

nitrosportsandrunner

most brushed can be converted to brushless just by changing the ESC (speed controller) and motor. Some models may require that you get a different pinion gear (gear on the motor) as the gearing required by the new motor may be different from the old. Also, some models might need upgraded gears in the transmission to handle the extra power. Short answer, yes, and it is done very often.

You can gear them down some, but gear down too much and this causes extra heat as the motor will be spinning at top speed more often.
But, some RTR brushless models come with radios that have "throttle end point" adjustments. With this knob, you can turn down the throttle (thus max speed) The adjustment changes the signal the radio sends to the car....so you can give full throttle on the trigger but the radio will only send a 50% throttle signal. My team associated SC10rs radio has this feature. My truck can go 35mph, but I can turn it down to as low as 10-15mph. I have done this often for my 4 year old boy. As he has gotten better, I have slowly increased the speed.

4wd, more traction! Downsides? usually more expensive to buy, and due to the increase in parts you increase the chance of something breaking.

Scale effects performance due to things like ground clearance, tire size and weight. Generally, anything under 1/10 scale doesn't do that well offroad. they are fine on pavement or packed ground, but not grass / soft dirt or sand. Even some 1/10 scale models can have trouble in tall grass. The suspension setup and the size of the tires has a lot to do will how well it can go offroad. 1/10 scale is by far the most popular.

Spare battery is a very good idea. what you get for a battery will depend on what model you buy. Some brushed models have a ESC that will allow you to use a 2s lipo battery (2s equals 2 cells, or 7.4v) but these models will likely come with a 6 or 7 cell NIMH battery. NIMHs are fine, but lipos are better.
Even most brushless models that come with a battery will likely still have a NIMH battery. In this case you really want to buy a lipo battery as your second one.

A great way to help you choose what model you want, is to take any suggestions you get from others and then search youtube. Try to view as many videos of that model in Stock form.

What I would recommend:
Team associated SC10....or the brushless version, the SC10rs.
Traxxas slash, rustler, stampede. All three are available in brushed (xl5) or brushless (vxl) The slash and stampede are also avialible in both 2wd and 4wd forms.
HPI wheely king. a 4wd brushed monster truck. Not super fast but good offroad and plenty of fun. Pops wheelies with ease. Can be upgraded for more speed, or can be converted into a rock crawler.

Also, don't forget a battery charger. Even if you buy a model that comes with a charger, it will just be a crappy slow charger (3-8 hours!)
Thunder AC6
Imex B6
Onyx 235
The above chargers are good value, and they all can charge NIMH or lipo batteries. Most batteries can be charged in 1 hour by those chargers.
My SC10rs can run for 25 minutes on my onyx 5000mah (mah=capacity / runtime) 2s lipo....and my thunder ac6 charger can charge that battery in just over an hour.

jeffv145

I've watched a ton of videos, and am trying to decide between the Traxxas Slash, HPI Blitz, and SC10. Are there any other popular short course trucks to consider? Do they all take the same battery upgrades (for example) could I use an aftermarket lipo for all the trucks or do they need to be model specific? I'm mostly concerned with battery life and durability, are any of these models known for superior build quality? Thanks!

SyCo_VeNoM

Lipos are kinda more limited to battery compartment dimensions, and layout. Like I have one lipo that will fit in about 1/3rd of my RC's with no mods as its almost the same size as a stick pack, but it won't fit in other RC's due to how the wires come out of the face side of the battery. Some time battery compartments also need to have some modifications to fit lipos.

nitrosportsandrunner

note, these are my opinions...
Blitz is a good race truck.
SC10 is a good race truck that is also very durable
Slash is ok on a track, but better for bashing. It is pretty durable out of the box, but unlike the other 2 models has TONS of aftermarket alloy and RPM (high grade plastic parts) which can make the truck nearly bomb proof.

All 3 trucks can use lipos (brushed or brushless versions are lipo ready) and most 1/10 models can all use standard sized 5000mah 2s lipo packs. For larger packs (3s) some models have aftermarket parts available to accept the larger packs. But 2s is enough power for most people.
Hardcased lipos are more durable. the battery itself is the same, just in a hard plastic case....so if it ever got thrown out of the truck somehow it shouldn't get damaged.

IMO, the blitz and sc10 are just a bit higher build quality than the slash. But in all honestly, any of the 3 are great trucks for a beginner. They will be fun to drive on most any surface, are quick, handle decent-to-good and all are fairly durable.

the only thing as far as battery specific to a model is what battery connector the model uses. the sc10 uses deans, the traxxas has their own plug. not sure what the HPI uses. But some companies like venom have come up with a quick change plug system...so you buy a lipo and it comes with a adaptor that will work with all major types of connectors.
But if you want a lower cost pack...like a gens ace, turnigy, skylipo.....then you can just buy the plug you need and solder it to the battery.

I bought my SC10rs from towerhobbies, with a onyx 5000mah 2s lipo which comes with a deans plug. The total was $330 shipped (im a tower hobbies member, so shipping was free) On their site, there is always some codes to enter that reduce the cost (ie $30 off a $300 order)
And tower hobbies offers easy pay....you can make 3 payments (no interest) If you have the money up front, that is better, but if you are a bit short, the 3 pay is nice and wont cost you anything extra. I setup my payments with my paypal debit card, so the payments come right from my paypal account. I have ordered 4-5 models from them and shipping is always quick.

A 2s 5000mah lipo in any of those trucks will get you 25-30 minutes of runtime. Get 2 packs, you have basically an hour of runtime available. And when used properly, most lipos can last 2-3 years. My onyx pack has been used about 40 times, that's about 20 hours of use. and my sc10 has the same runtime on it, and ive only had to change the rear tires and fix a broken drive pin. The body and chassis have a good amount of scrapes, but it has been a great truck for me.

jeffv145

So there are more aftermarket parts for the Slash, I'm guessing it's a more common/ universal car? I'm still trying to decide between 2x4 and 4x4 (we have a lot of snow so I'm leaning toward 4x4) but I definitely want brushless. Where is the best place to buy online?

nitrosportsandrunner

Traxxas sells high volume...so naturally aftermarket companies want to make parts for models that many people own.
The sc10 you can buy some alloy parts and some RPM parts. But you can almost completely replace every part on a slash with aftermarket.....suspension arms, shock towers, shocks, steering knuckle, wheel hubs, driveshafts, trans case, bumpers and even the chassis itself!
But, aftermarket parts are only good if they fix a problem with the original part. On the sc10, the rpm front bumper gives more protection. And you can get rpm front suspension arms. But the stock parts are pretty dang tough.
With a slash, the stock parts are decent. But the rpm parts available are better. So it is common for traxxas owners to replace the stock parts when they break with rpm parts.
I wouldn't buy a model just because there are more aftermarket parts for it. And the blitz and sc10 both have several upgrades available, just not as many as the slash. But there are some things on them that don't need upgrading....like the driveshafts. the sc10 has metal dogbones that are tougher than the slash's plastic slider shafts. If you want to upgrade the slash driveshafts, you have to spend $40-$50 (2wd) or almost $100 for the 4wd model. The plastic shafts are OK, but obviously not as good as metal driveshafts.

I like to buy from towerhobbies.com. Ebay is ok as well, just shop to make sure the seller you are looking at has the best price and a good rating. There are 5-6 ebay sellers that I regularly buy rc stuff from who have ebay stores and run a good business.(look at shipping times, if they have a return policy and stuff like that before buying)

4wd is better for snow. But a 2wd with some proline paddle tires can be fun in the snow as well. Just depends on how deep the snow is really. One thing to note is that a slash 4wd is a bit slower top speed than the slash 2wd. they have the same motor/esc, but 4wd requires more power as there are more parts to turn.
I have had a 4wd slash and a 4wd stampede. both are fun. both tended to need more repairs than my sc10. but, with 4wd they can do more intense offroading.
when choosing any model, you will generally be trading this-for-that. 2wd is simpler, less to break, and usually a bit faster. 4wd is more complex, a tad slower, but capable offroad and on pavement 4wd will accelerate faster than a 2wd (which will can often wheely)

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

A 4wd car will feel easier to drive than a 2wd car if you're driving off-road. 2wd, being pushed by the back tires, tends to spin out easier. But that just teaches you how to counter-steer, and you become a better driver for it. I started off with a 2wd, cheaper and easier to maintain. Converted it to brushless, and upgraded parts as they broke. Now it'll do 40mph, nothing ever breaks (well, hardly ever) and is a blast to drive.

Then I got a 4wd. What I noticed was, like I said, it's easier to drive fast, and when you do screw up and spin out, you can recover and get back in the race MUCH faster with all four wheels grabbing for traction. The 2wd, you kinda have to get it going gently before you really give it the beans, otherwise you just spin out again. That is why 2wd and 4wd short course racing has separate classes.

Both are fun! Can't go wrong with either. 2wd is cheaper to get into and easier to work on, 4wd is usually more $$ and has more moving parts, so requires a little more maintenance. My 2wd car has 10 bearings, the 4wd car has 18. And they all require checking, cleaning, lubing, or replacing every so often. (I've found removing the dust shields and cleaning out the bearing with motor spray and a brush, then adding a little grease and putting the shields back in makes them good as new.)

jeffv145

I'm might save up for the Traxxas platinum (link below). I've heard that they're well worth the extra money, also I just noticed that they lowered the chassis? Maybe I should get something cheaper to start, I can't decide. I'm still considering my options, but noticing that many models aren't waterproof. Does anyone think I've got a more practical short course? I'd like it to be brushless and waterproof.

http://traxxas.com/products/models/e...ash4x4platinum

jeffv145

Also (weird question) Does anyone know why they made the Stampede faster than the slash? The site says that the stampede VXL will do 65 but the slashes do 60. That just seems off for some reason, I feel like monster trucks should be slower than race trucks! Haha.

nitrosportsandrunner

the ECX torment has a brushless/waterproof version. It is not 4wd, but is RTR with a spektrum radio for under $300. It isn't as fancy as the slash, but plenty fun to drive and durable.

team associated has a 4wd short course truck, not sure if it waterproof or not tho.

Personally, for your first truck I would say get a 2wd. Since it is your first truck get something simpler to work on and maintain.

Plus, while RCs are awesome it is true that some people buy them and then rarely use them. So, it is better not to spend a huge amount of cash on your first one. Get something decent but not crazy expensive first. Then, if you find you love running a rc and use it a lot, spend more money on your next model or even just upgrade what you already have.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

+2 on what Nitro said. Very true.

Secondly, as a new guy, you should know that what a manufacturer claims on the box isn't always true. And, you'll note that little asterisk attached to the speed claim? That speed is only attainable with "optional gearing" and at least a 2S lipo, if not a 3S. And optional gearing is not meant for everyday running, unless you want to burn up your motor. A "no-touch" infra-red thermometer is a good thing to have for checking motor and ESC temps. You should get one.

Try to avoid getting "The Big Packages" that include a battery and charger, they're usually not worth the extra cost, as the charger is SLOW (usually 2 Amps max) and the battery is a low-capacity NiMh which shouldn't be used on brushless systems anyway. OK, I suppose, if you're just testing the waters, not sure if you're really into it. But if you do stick with it, you'll want a better charger. http://www.hobbypartz.com/73p-ac680-accharger.html

And realize, too, "waterproof" ISN'T. It does not mean you can submerge the whole truck, or run it thru puddles and mud, or snow, without the potential for damage. Especially if you get it wet, and just let it sit. Stuff rusts! And yes, while there ARE guys out there who have waterproofed their trucks and do run them thru DEEP puddles, they have gone the extra mile and added their own waterproofing, by either putting stuff in balloons, or using Plasti-Dip to seal cases on ESCs and servos. Even still, a THOROUGH cleaning is required after such severe activity.

You could start out with the Slash EXL 2wd (brushed version) cheaper, as you learn to drive an RC. Then once you get the hang of it and want more power, just replace the motor system with a VXL (brushless) one later, it's easy. But if you have the dough, brushless and lipo is the way to go.

SyCo_VeNoM

This is very true its like when I got interested in RC tanks people were pushing $700-1000 tanks on the tank forums saying anything else is garbage. Then there was a guy who recommended a $80 tank sure it wasn't as good as the $700 models, but it was good enough to give a feel. I am so glad I went that route as after 2-3 runs I've not touched it since(I do plan on geting it running again though)


This is very true
I used to run my RC's in the snow I waterproofed it, and all(I've even completely submerged my one on multiple occasions). I even would take it in, and hose it down for 5 mins to make sure I got all the salt from the streets off. then after I would take, and hose every metal piece I could find off with WD40. Sucker still got a little rust. Also water got in the battery, and trashed it. Now if I didn't hose the RC off after every run I can only imagine it would have had every metal part rusted by the 3rd time. Also unlike most these RC's the RC was mostly plastic (had plastic bushings, plastic drive shafts, etc)

I've seen people post on here who done similar, but didn't clean the truck thoroughly after then complain about it rusting...

jeffv145

I'm looking at the 2x4 brushed slash just to get started. Is the Gordon version worth the extra 40 or is it the same truck? (see links below) Also, getting a cheaper one will save cash for battery upgrades! I'd like to have a fast charger and maximum runtime, should I get lipos right away? Is there a good charger that will charge multiple batteries at once? Thanks!



http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Traxxas-...item5afd81ad5b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Traxxas-Slas...item2591f39df1

SyCo_VeNoM

diff body color, diff stickers, and rim color.